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Windows 7: Do I really need all these updates so often ?

Am new to W7, it's great. Have set up for auto OS updates from MSoft but I keep being exhorted to update so many other bits....Java...Live Mail stuff etc etc. I just use Live Mail for reading my emails (as I did in OE when using XP) I'm determined not to" clog up" my W7 machine as I did my old XP lap and would be grateful for any recs as to which updates I really should install. Am running Windows Firewall and AntiV.
Many thanks.

Windows 7 does a lot better job of managing things than XP did so I don't think you have any worries about "clogging up" your system. :)

When Microsoft finds out about a problem (especially security related problems) they will issue updates that will hopefully correct things. Sometimes they even issue updates for updates. So I believe you should install all critical and important updates issued by Microsoft. There may be optional updates offered as well, but you can review those and then decide if you want to install them. Personally, I also install recommended optional updates, too. (Microsoft has also improved identifying which updates you DON'T need and will not install them.)

You may want to reconsider keeping your updates on automatic. You will have no control over when the updates are installed or which ones are installed. A lot of people set updates to "Notify me but don't automatically download or install updates." This lets you review what Microsoft is offering. And then if there are a lot of updates like this past June (I think there were like 22 of them) you could install just a few at a time, make sure your computer is working properly, install the next few, etc. If there is a problem you'll know exactly which group of 3 or 4 or 5 updates is causing the problem.

And to help monitor updates for 3rd party programs like Java, Adobe Flash, etc you could also run a free program from Secunia.

For specific updates if you don't need them then you can right click on the update and chose to hide. As for the frequency of the updates, I have win7 pro and I don't get bothered with updates from MS that often. You can also set the update warnings to your desire in the Control Panel->Windows Update->Change Settings

I keep being exhorted to update so many other bits....Java...Live Mail stuff etc etc.

Yeah incl Adobe Flash Player which is particularly tricky to stop. You can turn-off "auto-updates" for virtually every program you have, which I do routinely after installation. I do this for a couple reasons beyond "annoyance":

1. If my computer ain't broke, I don't want an auto-update "fixing" it

2. My ISP has limited bandwidth so I wanna know when something wants to download

You'll have to do some Googling if you don't know how to do this i.e. "turn-off Java auto updates" or some such but afterward you'll be "in control" again!

Hi there
most of these "security updates" are fairly small -- if your bandwidth is THAT restricted I'd look for a new ISP / change the contract.

I come myself from an engineering background so I agree with the sentiment that "if it ain't broke don't fix it" but security isn't a question of if whether it's broken or not but of whether unauthorized users can perform hidden operations.

Most of these fixes aren't to "repair" the machine but to plug access holes in it -- much as in the same way most modern subway systems put in automatic gates / barriers to only allow passengers with valid tickets to board the system --the subway isn't broken -- all we've done here is tighten up access to it.

Choosing to not install updates, which might be security related, in an effort to keep a machine from getting clogged up is not a really good approach.

Better approach, don't install a bunch of applications and such that you don't really need. That will keep the machine from getting clogged up. But for the things that you do install, keep up with the latest patches and security updates.

Do I really need all these updates so often ?

shut down-wait for updates-start again updates installing takes timeWhen microsoft comes with updates we get the message on shut down
"installing updates don't shut down. Windows will aut. shut down when finish"
Nice and easy.
But what I don't understand is that next time I open up the PC I will have to wait for the configuration of the installed updates....

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